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When planning a trip to the United States from abroad for business or for pleasure, you may need to apply for a visitor visa, commonly referred to as a B-1 or B-2 visa. When seeking a visitor visa, you will be asked to apply in person at the United States embassy or consulate in your home country.

Visitor Visa Basics

There are two types of visitor visas: the B-1 visitor visa and the B-2 visitor visa. Both of these visas are referred to as "Non-Immigrant Visa." The B-1 visitor visa is for business travelers visiting the country for a purpose such as visiting with colleagues, traveling to a convention or negotiating a contract. The B-2 visa is issued to people seeking to travel to the U.S. for pleasure or for medical treatment. If you're traveling to temporarily work in the U.S., to attend school or as a journalist, you do not fall under the visitor visa category.

General Requirements

To quality for a visitor visa, you must meet the requirements laid out in the Immigration and Nationality Act. When you go in for an interview at your closest U.S. embassy or consulate, the consular officer who interviews you decides whether or not you qualify. The Immigration and Nationality Act presumes everyone applying for a visitor visa intends to immigrate to the U.S. permanently; the purpose of the interview is for applicants to demonstrate otherwise. Your purpose for visiting the United States must be for business, pleasure or medical treatment, and you must plan to remain for a specific, limited period of time. You have to provide evidence of funds to cover your stay, and evidence of social and economic ties in your country of citizenship.

Application Process

To apply for a visitor visa, get started early, as the process can take time. You need to apply at the United States embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship. People applying for a B-1 or B-2 visa between the ages of 14 and 79 need to schedule an interview with a consular officer; during the application process, you will have your fingerprint scanned. In addition to paying the visa application fee, you must fill out and print out Form DS-160 online, and bring your valid passport, travel itinerary and your resume or curriculum vitae. If you do not have access to a computer to fill out Form DS-160, you call the consulate and make arrangements. If you have visited the United States previously, you will be asked to bring dates of your last five trips to the country. Some applicants may be asked to provide additional information, at the discretion of the consulate they apply at.

Countries Exempted From the Visitor Visa

Residents of certain countries can visit the United States for up to 90 days without applying for a visitor visa if they meet certain requirements. As of August 2012, 36 countries participate in the United States' Visa Waiver program. Participating countries are Andorra, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia, Iceland, Norway, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, San Marino, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovakia, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, South Korea, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, France, Malta, Sweden, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland, Greece, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In addition, citizens of Canada and Bermuda are permitted to visit the United States without applying for a visa.

References

About the Author

Ginger Yapp has been writing professionally since 2006, specializing in travel and film topics. Her work has appeared in such publications as "USA Today" and online at Hotels.com. Yapp also has experience writing and editing for a small California newspaper. She earned her B.A. in film and media studies and has worked as an ESL teacher at an international school.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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